Roofing element and assembly thereof



N. P. HARSHBERGER ROOFING ELEMENT AND ASSEMBLY THEREOF" INVENTOR Igel'.

-4/01/1/ ATTORNEY Filed Jan. 8, 1934 iwateted Mov., 39' ldd@lilppiicatiion .lianuary ti, lidad, Seriali lila 'iliilii lid Thisinvention relates to roong and siding material comprising elementsadapted to be ar ranged in overlapping courses in simulation oi'shingles and more particularly or tiles and 'to 5 present a pleasing andornamental appearance.

Roofing materials generally comprise those made oi rigid materials suchas slate and tile, as well as elements formed oi cementitious mit.ntures, and those made of waterproofed librous material commonly known ascomposition rooiing. The former materials are heavy and necescitatespecial understructures for supporting the roof. Further, they arerelativelyexpensive and are generally limited to use on costly houses.The compositori material is more generally employed and attempts havebeen made to simulate a surface of curved tile effects by usingsubstantially :dat strips of this material and shaping the exposed edgeswith curved tabs. To make the edect of heavy butt edges of built upelements; more pronounced the surface of the material at the edges hasbeen contrastingly colored to produce heavy artificial shadow lines andiii/certain instances the tabs themselves have been so cut effects tothe eye; These methods have notbeen particularly 'satisfactory for whereedge bands have' been employed these rapidly fade or become discoloreddue to the action of the weather, and where the result has been obtainedby shaping it usually has been at the expense of the resistance of thetabs to thwart lifting in the wind. Also, the processes employed are notsimple ones. In any instance, in order to obtain suitable edects it isdesirable `for the tabs to be of considerable depth and except wherethey are shallow as where thatch edects are to be secured, there resultsa considerable tendency to curl and lift in the wind and permit rain andthe like to drive under them.

lit is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome thefaults and objections of prior roof-lng elements as well as to provide asimple, inexpensive element that will form an effective and attractivesurface in which curling and winding up will be a minimum and one thatis well adapted for the purpose described.

In my copending application Serial No. 483,311, med Sept. 20, 1930, andgranted as Patent No. my 1,943,258 on January 9, 1934, I describe amethod oi making rigid roong elements in which wool, cotton rags, hair,asbestos bres or paper are first manufactured into a felted material toform a base which is subsequently treated withV an a starch-containingsolution and is then dried,

to present lines tending to depict similar depth/ cut, as desired, intosections and ironed into rigid shapes. These are thereafter impregnatedwith a suitable waterprooiing compound such as a low melting pointasphalt, coated with a layer ci an adhesive material such. as a highmelting point asphalt and/or synthetic resins and surfaced with suchgranulated materials as nuneral pan ticlesof slate, shale, crushedbrick, etc., which are embedded therein and 'provide the iinished nelements with an attractive appearance.

This application is a continuationdnpart oi said copending one andparticularly relates to a portion wherein substantially hat or shapedelements with or without the stiffening treatment are made, providedwith locking members and sembled according to arrangements which,together with the elements themselves, will hereinafter be more fullydescribed.

More speciiically the objects of my invention may be enumerated as:

To provide a substantially flat shingle element of uniform thickness,which may also be rigid and to arrange a plurality of such elements astc produce eective heavy butt effects and particularly curved tilesimulations in assembly.

To provide elements having a plurality of depending tabs in which thetabs are provided with locking members and receiving means to lock downthe weather exposed portions.

To provide a surface assembly wherein units. having tab formations arelaid in Wide spaced relationship with an element in one courseoverlapping two adjacent elements in the same course in such a manner asto present tabs of double thickness with the individual layers odsetwith respect to each other to form a heavy butt effect.

To provide a. roofing element that will provide the characteristics ofrigid,tiles at a much lower cost.

These, and other objects and features of the invention, relating to theimproved shingle element and assembly thereof, and all its parts andcom- )einations will in part be obvious and in partbe pointed out in thesubsequent detailed description and in the claims, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. l is a plan View of ashingle element of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of a portion of a surface covering formed by aplurality of elements and embodying a feature of my invention; Y

Fig. 3 is a plan View of a modification of the element of my invention;

Fig. i is a plan view oi another surface covering showing an arrangementobtained by the elements of my invention;

Fig. 5 is an end View of an element;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of elements with ller pieces, and

Fig. '7 is a side sectional elevation on line 1-1 of Figure 2, ofelements with filler pieces.

The shingles of my invention may be made of any of the well knowncomposition roofing materials described above and are preferably cutfrom a continuous finished sheet thereof. However, they may be made, ifdesired, of similar material wherein during the processing there hasbeen included the steps of adding a starchlike stilfening ingredient andironing into a rigid condition in one or more portions before or aftercutting the sheet into individual sizes.' Also the amount of stiffeneradded may be controlled so as to obtain a degree of stiffnessappropriate to the type of element fabricated, thisbeing particularlydesirable where the elements are provided with locking members in whicha degree of flexibility may be desirable.

Fig. 1 illustrates the preferred form of my shingle unit 2 whichpreferably comprises a. substantially at body portion 4 having a pair ofsimilar curved and preferably substantially equal tabs 6 and 8 dependingfrom its lower part and having a recess ID therebetween which ispreferably of greater width than the tabs. Adjacent the tabs andsubstantially connecting the edges thereof the body portion preferablyhas two opposite substantially parallel sides I2 and I4 which are alsosubstantially straight. The upper edge i6 of the element is formed witha curved tab projection I3 and has recesses 20 and 22 on either sideadjacent thereto. It will be noted that this edge is substantiallyparallel and homologous to the lower edge 24 and that the recesses ofone edge are complementary to the tabs of the other edge. I prefer thissince with the respective sides intertting, the elements may be cut froma continuous web without waste and further it permits a considerablesaving of material to be made in assembly where4 a substantially uniformlap is thereby obtainable.

Further, the elements may be said to be divided into a number ofsections a, b and c, each substantially the width of a tab and it willbe seen that the center section is of considerably greater depth thanwidth and of greater width than the end sections. vI prefer the ratio ofdepth to width to be substantially three to one or greater andpreferably make the depth of the recess formed by the center sectionsubstantially equal to its width. These proportions are desirable since,by them, I may more nearly simulate a roof of rigid Spanish tiles, andfurthermore, the end sections determine the amount of side lap inassembly and it is desired to keep this to a minimum commensurate withadequate protection and good appearance. However, I do not limit myselfto these proportions, to the tab proportions illustrated, or to onlycurved formations and straight and vertical sides since the tabs may beequal or greater in width than their recesses and the proportions oflength and width may be any desired. Also the sides may be oblique andof other shapes.

I may also provide the tab portions of the end sections of my units withlocking members and receiving means, especially where they are made ofwholly exible material without stiiening means in order to lock theedges and prevent the exposed portions from curling or blowing up in thewind and to permit me to make larger exposures to the weather than wouldotherwise be possible. In Fig. 1 the locking means are preferablypositioned substantially midway the depth of the tabs, i. e. between thelower edge of the tab and the upper edge of the recess, and at oppositeportions thereof, the locking tongues 26 and 28 being preferably at theouter ends of the elements and the receiving means 30 and 32 beingpreferably in the sides of the tabs adjacent the recess between tabs.The tongues may be formed by slits or cuts 34 and 36, one of which maybe substanstantially horizontal and the other substantially vertical sothat the tongue is formed with a finger portion which preferably projectupwardly, and the receiving means are formed preferably by substantiallyhorizontal cuts 38 in the edges adjacent the recess. It should be notedthat in this figure the lower extremity 39 of the vertical tongue cut islower than the level of the receiving means 30 and the purpose f thiswill be hereinafter explained. Also, while I have illustrated thelocking members and receiving means as formed by slits or single cuts,these may also be slots, and, further, the locking tongues may be formedby a cut or series of cuts wholly within the tab portion and thereceiving means may also be an interior slit or opening. I may also makethe tongue members of curved outline, tapered, or provide them withtapered tips and the receiving means may be shaped other than straightor may also be a tongue that may be depressed' in assembly. Thesevariations oier advantages of greater facility in assembly and incertain instances it is preferred to substitute them for thoseillustrated.

The elements I have thus'described may be assembled as in Figure 2 tosimulate a roofing surface formed of a plurality of curved tile shapes.The elements in each course may be laid in wide spaced relationship, thespace between them being substantially the width of section b, zandthereafter, additional elements are laid in 4the same course to fill thespaces and these form bridging members therebetween. Since theindividual elements are spaced apart such distances that the endsections a and c of the bridging elements completely sidelap the endsections c and a, respectively, of two underlying elements in the samecourse, the exposed edge of each course presents a plurality ofalternating tabs and recesses in which the tabs formed are of doublethickness andfthe recesses are of single thickness. Such recesses may besubstantially filled by using elements such as the element 6|, Figure 5,which has an integral layer 62, by following the teaching of mycopending application Ser. No. 358,586, filed April 27, 1929. The doubleedge thickness formed by the tabs produce a considerable shadow inassembly and to enhance this effect I may arrange the bridging elementsin each course substantially offset to the vertical so that theformation of elements in each course thus formed present stepped edges40 formed by the lapped and offset strata of adjacent elements. Such anarrangement greatly increases the shadow effect produced and makes thesame more realistic since it produces one that is greatest in thesupposed valleys 42 between tiles and tapers off to a lesser degree atthe supposed crest 44 of the tiles. The elements may be secured to theroof structure by fasteners, for instance, the nails 46 and 48 whichlocate the wide spaced elements and by the nails 50 and 52 which securethe bridging elements and also pass through the adjacent underlyingunits. The fasteners are covered by the bridging elements of materialsof contrasting eiects.

the next overlying course of units. Where the units are not providedwith tab locks it is preferred that they be somewhat stii as thebridging elements are unsecured at the lower weather edge unless othersecuring means are provided. Where the tabs are provided with lockingmembers as shown in Figure 1, the locking tongues 26 and 23 are receivedby the recesses or receiving means 32 and 30, respectively, of the twoadjacent underlying elements in the same course and the lock is effectedby moving the bridging element in a direction normal to the line of thecourse. Due to the relative positions of the receiving means 3@ and 32and the lower extremities 39 of the locking tongues 2G and 23 when thebridging element is pulled into position the tab portionswill be locatedas shown at lili) in Figure 2, forming as has been described,.a steppedarrangement. The advantages of the locking arrangement are obvious, thebridging elements may each be secured to the roof deck by a single nailas at 5d, Fig. 4, the tabs interlocking with the lower portions of thetwo adjacent underlying elements and covering the nails it and itV whichsecure these elements to the under structure. Thus the entire weatheredge formed by the course of elements is securely held down andprevented from curling or blowing up in the wind.

In Fig. 3, I have shown an element 56 similar in shape to that of Figure1, but in which the sections formed by the tabs and recesses have beendefinitely divided by lines of demarcation, 58 and 60. Such means ofseparation may be formed by colored stripes, by raised ridges, by scoredlines orthe sections may be surfaced with Also, it will be noted that Ihave located the locking members on this element such that the lowerextremity 39 of the vertical slot 36 forming the locking tongue members26 'and 28 are on a level with the opposite receiving means. Theseelements, when assembled in wide spaced relationship and interlocked,form a surface as shown in Figure 4, wherein eachtab formation is of adouble thickness but wherein the overlapping portions are coincident. Inthis manner alternating tabs and recesses in each course form a singlezig zag line parellel to the course. The particular advantage of thelines of demarcation are that the bridging elements provided withartificial lines to aid in giving them curved eects. It should be notedthat where the elements are arranged in wide spaced fashion suchassembly lends itself to different and eiective appearances Con theroof. For instance, one result is lobtained asshown in Fig. 2 where thecourses of elements are arranged such that the bridging elements in eachcourse lie one above the other. A second and entirely diierent. effectis obtainable as shown in Fig. 4i

where the alternate courses are so arranged that the bridging elementsin adjacent courses are staggered in relation to each other. Also Idesire it to be understood that while I have illustrated assemblieswherein the elements are laid `wide spaced these may be laid in side-lapfashion is simple in assembly, and that forms a particularly desirableand effective roof. Modiications other than those illustrated ordescribed will present themselves to those skilled in the art, and Idesire that the invention be construed to cover equivalents and asbroadly as the claims taken in conjunction with the prior art, mayallow.

I claim:

l. A roong element comprising a strip of material having a pair ofsubstantially straight and Opposite edges and having a third lower edgeformed with an ogee curve comprising a pair of similar curved tabs and acurved 'recess therebetween, said tabs being positioned adjacent saidsubstantially straight edges and having their edges substantiallyprolongations thereof,` and said recess having a width greater than saidtabs and of substantially one third the depth of the element measurednormal to a median through the tabs on the lower edge and said elementsadapted when laid to simulate a surface of formed tiles.

2. A roofing element comprising a body portion having a plurality ofsimilar tabs projecting from an edge thereof, one of said tabs having areceiving means comprising a slot positioned in its side edge portionand another having a locking means comprising a tongue positionedadjacent a similar edge portion to interlock with the receiving means ofan adjacent shingle.

3. A roofing element comprising a body portion having a lower edgeformed with alternating tabs and recesses, locking and receiving meanspositioned in opposite edge portions of said tabs and substantiallymidway their depth the locking means on the tab of one shingle adaptedto interlock with the receiving means on a tab of an adjacent shingle.

fl. Roofing elements having the general shape of a parallelogramcomprising body portions having two substantially straight side edges,and two other opposite and substantially complementary edges of wavyoutline presenting alternating tabs and recesses, certain tabs having atongue in the side edge thereof extending in the direction of the depthof the shingle and a slot, said tongue being engageable with the slot ofa similar element in assembly.

5. A roofing element comprising a body portion having a lower edgeformed with a pair of shingle size tabs separated by a recess of greaterwidth than said tabs, there being receiving means positioned in oppositetab edge portions of the recess and locking means adjacent other edgeportions of the tabs.

6. A roofing element comprising a body portion having end edges; a pairof tabs depending from the lower edge portion of the body separated by arecess of greater width than the tabs, the edges of said tabs formingsubstantially prolongations of the end edges and said tabs and recessdeterthree sections, the depth of the sections being at least threetimes the width of the section determined by the recess, and the depthoi the tabs being substantially equal to the width of the recess, saidelements adapted to be laid with a tab of one element lapping a tab oian adjacent element in the same course to simulate an assembly of formedtiles.

'7. A roong element having a lower weather edge formed with curved tabs,said tabs having in an edge portion thereof and removed from the lowerend thereof, an upwardly projecting tongue and a receiving means, saidtongue being enan adjacent element in assembly to lock down said weatheredge.

8. A roof covering comprising a plurality of elements each presentinglower tab edge formations, said elements being laid in wide spacerelationship with one element overlapping two adjacent elements in thesame course and with the end tabs of the overlapping elementsubstantially coincident with the end tabs of the adjacent underlyingelements so as to present a tab edge of double thickness, the tabs ofone element serving to register the overlying tabs of another.

9. A plurality of shingles assembled on a roof in courses, each shinglecomprising a body portion having substantially straight side edges and apair of tabs of curved outline depending from the lower edge thereof,and having a recess therebetween, said tabs and recess each determininga section oi' the element, and said elements being arranged in a coursewith certain elements wide spaced, and with other elements bridging thewide spaced elements and having their tab determining sectionssubstantially coincident with similar sections of the wide spacedelements to form a substantially continuous curvilinear butt edge acrossthe course, and said edge, and the side edges of the bridging elementsaiding in simulating a formed tile construction.

10. A roof covering comprising a plurality of elements assembled incourses, each element having substantially straight side edges and alower weather edge formed with alternating tabs and a recess 0f curvedoutline and of greater width than the tabs, said elements being arrangedin a course With their tabs overlapping the tabs of adjacent elements soas to present a continuous weather edge of wavy outline across thecourse said elements when laid simulating a roof of formed tiles.

11. A plurality of shingle elements assembled in courses, said elementscomprising body portions having lower weather edges formed with curvedtabs and recesses of substantial depth, said elements being arranged ina course with the tabs of adjacent elements overlapping and with theside edge portions thereof in registration and determining the amount ofoverlap and with certain elements offset substantially to the verticalso as to eiect a weather edge in the course comprising alternatelysingle edges of the recesses and double edges of the tabs.

12. Aplurality of shingle elements assembled on a roof, said elementscomprising body portions having a plurality of tabs projecting fromedges thereof, said tabs having locking and receiving means positionedadjacent opposite edge portions thereof and comprising respectivelytongues and slots, said elements being laid in courses with the tabportions of adjacent shingles in lapped relation and, with the lockingmeans on the tab of one element engaged with the receiving means on thetab of an adjacent lapped element so as to lock down the tabs.

13. A plurality of shingles assembled on a roof, said elementscomprising body portions having a pair of tabs depending from an edgethereof, and having a recess therebetween, said elements also havingreceiving means comprising slots positioned on the tabs adjacentopposite edge portions of the recess, and locking means comprisingtongues positioned adjacent other edge POrtions of the tabs, and saidelements being assembled in courses with certain elements wide spacedand with other elements bridging the wide spaced elements, said bridgingelements having their locking tongues engaged with the receiving means-of their underlying elements so as to lock down the Weather edge of thecourse.

14. A roof covering comprising shingles arranged in overlapping rows,each shingle comprising a body portion having a lower edge formed with apair of tabs and having a recess therebetween, said tabs and recess eachdetermining a section of the element extending the depth thereof, andthesection determined by the recess having upon its reverse side anintegral layer extending substantially the length of said section andsubstantially of equal thickness, and said elements being arranged in acourse with certain elements Wide spaced, and with other elementsbridging the Wide spaced elements and having their tab determiningsections overlapping similar sections of adjacent elements in the samecourse with the side edge portions of the lapping tabs in substantialalignment, and said integral layer substantially filling the spacebetween the spaced apart elements. e

15. A roofing element comprising a body formed with locking andreceiving means in a lower portion thereof, said means comprising atongue and a slot, said tongue being removed from the lowermost point ofthe body and having a portion that will retard its further movement inthe slot of a. similar element when laid, and said portion being sopositioned in relation to the slot, that a plurality of said elementsmay be laid in assembly with adjacent elements in the same course lappedand interlocked and offset with respect to a straight median linethrough the course to form a stepped arrangement of the lapping portionsat the lower edge of the course.

16. A rooiing element comprising a body having a lower portion formedwith tabs, one of said tabs having a locking means and another areceiving means on similar edge portions and substantially removed fromthe lower edges thereof, said locking and receiving means comprisingrespectively a tongue and a slot, and said tongue lhaving a portion thatwill retard its further movement in the slot of a similar element and sopositioned in relation to the slot as to cause the tabs of adjacentshingles when lapped in assembly with the tongue of one interlocked withthe slot of the other, to be offset and form steps thereof. i

NORMAN P. HARSHBERGER.

